Nets ideal target in Nic Claxton trade with the Lakers is painfully obvious

Los Angeles Lakers v Chicago Bulls
Los Angeles Lakers v Chicago Bulls | Michael Reaves/GettyImages

The Brooklyn Nets are facing a familiar fork in the road. Nic Claxton’s name is swirling in trade rumors again, and again the Los Angeles Lakers who are desperately in search of a big man are rumored to be drawing interest. The question is not whether Claxton will get interest. It is whether Brooklyn can flip him into something that actually moves the needle.

What should the Nets look for in return?

If the Brooklyn Nets end up dealing Nic Claxton to the Lakers, there is one name that should be at the top of their wish list, and no, it is not Austin Reaves. The Nets are not in win now mode so they need to make sure they secure a player with a lot of upside and potential. That is why Dalton Knecht should be their clear target in any kind of deal.

The former Tennessee standout had one of the most quietly intriguing rookie seasons in the NBA. He averaged 9.1 points in limited minutes, shot a strong 37.6% from deep, and showed flashes of being exactly what he was in college, which was a versatile scorer who knows how to create space and find his shot.

But after the Lakers’ botched attempt to trade him to Charlotte at the trade deadline of last season, thanks to a failed physical on the other end, Knecht's role sadly became non-existent. In the second half of the season and into the playoffs, he was glued to the bench. The player who looked like a steal in November became an afterthought by April.

Why Brooklyn needs players with high upside:

Brooklyn should make deals not just draft picks or cap space, they already have a ton of that. They are in need of actual players who could become something more than they have shown. Knecht just needs some room to grow, and Brooklyn can offer that. They can offer playing time and a system that lets him play free. Claxton, on the other hand, is a luxury the Nets can afford to let go, if the return is right. Yes he is a fantastic rim protector, but Brooklyn’s timeline doesn’t necessarily match his free agency clock. 

Knecht may not have lit up the league in year one, but he has shown enough to believe there is real offensive pop waiting to surface. In a league built on development and timing, the Nets should make their move, because Dalton Knecht isn’t just a throw-in. He is the type of guy they need to include in their rebuild.